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Old 24th Sep 2020, 4:31 pm   #21
AC/HL
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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Radio suddenly got a whole lot more interesting
What's the difference, it's still radio, still broadcasting someone else's choice of programming. More stations, but still a subset of what you can receive.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 4:43 pm   #22
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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Radio suddenly got a whole lot more interesting
What's the difference, it's still radio, still broadcasting someone else's choice of programming. More stations, but still a subset of what you can receive.
If I've interpreted this correctly, pirate stations are supposed to be illegal.
What the pirates are doing nowadays is what Caroline did back then, giving people something different to listen to.
If it weren't for pirates, no one would have a clue what other music is out there, mainstream stations (with a licence) only play what they want people to listen to. Some people, myself included, do not want that format.
Under no circumstance will I air my views on certain things related to this country on this forum, it will upset people and result in a ban.
I hope the mods will understand the above.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 5:10 pm   #23
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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MW only has 2 stations, LW only has 1.
In that case something is seriously wrong with your radio.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 5:16 pm   #24
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

When I was a kid the radio often didn't play what I was interested in. It is often forgotten that the offshore pirates aimed beyond teenagers as they had products to sell. Most teenagers weren't interested in the latest offer from MacFisheries or Silexene paint. Later, Radio One was very much a station for the 'housewife' albeit aimed at the younger end of the spectrum.

I did very much what the kids of today do – looked elsewhere. That's why we all had record players. Swapping records with friends was part of the fun and exploration.

The Radio Caroline of the 1970s was probably the only truly youth station playing the alternative prog rock music of the day and that was only feasible because the transmitter was hired out to Dutch stations during the daytime.

I don't think Radio will die. After this little CV-19 do is over, or as we settle down to live with it, and operate within the resulting smaller economy, the consolidation of commercial stations that was already underway will accelerate. AM for the reasons we all know has had it. Local commercial stations are in the main not viable but community stations will spring up to fill the gap and FM is a suitable vehicle for them. Though content quality may be variable it's likely we'll get a broader selection of listening as a result whilst the commerical channels stick to their 'narrowcast' wallpaper formats.

What continues to be standard equipment in cars will be a determining factor. DAB has only just become ubiquitous and there are plenty of cars on the road twenty or more years old. Advertisers want to reach these people.

I use an internet radio but for online-only and overseas stations. Great but prone to the usual drop-outs somewhere in the chain of many weak links. Transmitter to receiver radio is simple and reliable.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 5:23 pm   #25
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

In our town (Wrexham), we have a station called 'Calon FM', it's inside the University and broadcasts all sorts of stuff, sadly it's only outputting 25 watts.
I live about 4 miles away and can't receive it, it's mainly aimed at the town centre and surrounding areas.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 5:58 pm   #26
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

What was The Bridge in Stourbridge has morphed into Black Country Radio and covers a wider area as the localness and any semblence of local service had receded from the outlets that once provided BRMB and Beacon Radio. I think it is running more power and I read recently that Ofcom is giving consideration to allowing community stations to have more power in general. This sort of broadcasting seems to be the only way of filling the gap once occupied by local commercial stations.

I've often wondered whether a member-supported system like National Public Radio in the US might work here.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 6:22 pm   #27
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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Originally Posted by Glowing Bits! View Post
In our town (Wrexham), we have a station called 'Calon FM', it's inside the University and broadcasts all sorts of stuff, sadly it's only outputting 25 watts. I live about 4 miles away and can't receive it, it's mainly aimed at the town centre and surrounding areas.
I've just listed to Calon on my PC, and you could on your PC or an internet radio. I doubt if there is any radio station transmitting on an RF frequency which is not streaming (oh, I forgot, Radio 5 does not - figure that one ! -something to do with sports coverage rights).

As for the American NPR subscriber model, I listen to quite a few NPR stations, most of the large cities have at least a couple, and towns and sometimes universities will have one. They are a little bit like Radio4, but giving up some time to local stuff. They seem to be holding their own in terms of survival; I don't recall of any of them collapsing. Of course, subscription is voluntary, but not necessary to be a listener.
But especially in the present era, I think that many Americans are very glad NPR is there and not commercially controlled with political affiliations.

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Old 24th Sep 2020, 8:32 pm   #28
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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MW only has 2 stations, LW only has 1.
In that case something is seriously wrong with your radio.
Or it's where I live.
I don't see the point in trying to tune in to fading continental stations.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 8:34 pm   #29
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Glowing Bits! View Post
In our town (Wrexham), we have a station called 'Calon FM', it's inside the University and broadcasts all sorts of stuff, sadly it's only outputting 25 watts. I live about 4 miles away and can't receive it, it's mainly aimed at the town centre and surrounding areas.
I've just listed to Calon on my PC, and you could on your PC or an internet radio.
B
Never realised it is online, the last time I listened to it was 10 years ago, at a place I worked at.
You've just reminded me of having an internet radio, I keep forgetting it's gathering dust, might be time to make use of it.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 9:04 pm   #30
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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As for the American NPR subscriber model, I listen to quite a few NPR stations, most of the large cities have at least a couple, and towns and sometimes universities will have one. They are a little bit like Radio4, but giving up some time to local stuff. They seem to be holding their own in terms of survival; I don't recall of any of them collapsing. Of course, subscription is voluntary, but not necessary to be a listener.
I listen to one for jazz and have a membership which is up for renewal during the fund-drive that has just started. I don't know about the news stations but I know some of the music stations have closed over the years. During fund-drive it is regularly mentioned that "we don't want to disappear like W*** did" or whatever. I contribute on the basis that I would hate to lose the station. One year I sent in a comment urging that listeners who value the station should support it explaining how few hours we got on the BBC across its five national music stations and it got read out on air. (We've lost two more hours since on a quantity already in single figures.) Listening to the fund-drives they have quite a few members from over this side. Erudite presenters without the prattle and no ads - well worth the membership.
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Old 24th Sep 2020, 9:13 pm   #31
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

To answer the title I would say yes and that includes FM and DAB. Internet radio is now and the future.

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Old 24th Sep 2020, 10:24 pm   #32
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

I have to make an update to my earlier assertion that you can't buy any Pure radios from pure.com
I had checked the website yesterday before posting and I couldn't add the radio I wanted to a 'basket', same as the day I tried to prepare for the birthday present. This evening my wife was irritated by the incalcitrant buttons and looked on their website for a current model, and most of the models were available to buy so I've bought one. Those buttons had better work or it's going straight back.
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Old 25th Sep 2020, 1:04 pm   #33
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

I have found the link to the community radio power increase article.

The article is nearly a year old now but has lists of stations granted relay transmitters, power increases, and proposed coverage improvements.

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/10/ofc...adio-stations/
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Old 25th Sep 2020, 2:28 pm   #34
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

Further to your post 30* Nick. I listen to WWOZ [OH Zee] as they pronounce it for Jazz sometimes. Based in New Orleans, they moved their RF TX up the Hill during Katrina and kept going with that, while everyone else stood around crying because their cell-phones didn't work! It's optional subscription I think and streaming now! The content is pretty strong-not bland. When a lot of people say Jazz or Celtic or Blues music it's often very watered down stereotypical stuff.

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Old 25th Sep 2020, 2:44 pm   #35
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

I would hope not as I can't be bothered messing about with CD's or bluetooth junk in the car, also the traffic reports on the radio are very useful if you travel regularly, last thing we need is more people using phones instead while driving.
Just wish the music license didn't exist, then we could have radios back at work.
Mobile internet is too expensive & coverage too patchy for me to use internet radio outside the house.

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Old 28th Sep 2020, 12:38 am   #36
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I continue to be puzzled by the unavailability of DAB radios. To buy, I mean.Thursday evening I thought I'd bought a Pure Siesta 2 from the Pure online shop but something made the payment fail. In the morning my wife said "Which model were you going to buy, because I've been reading some reviews about their alarmclock radios being total rubbish"

A bit of googling confirmed that though the basic radio bit is ok, all the addon features, the controls, the display, the instructions and even the sound have been universally panned. "Phew" I thought, "a narrow escape". Many clock radio reviews praised the VQ range. Currys offer an upmarket model, a monster of a bedside radio, reduced from £130 to £110. "A high price for a bit of peace" I thought and went to add it to the basket, whereupon it turns out it is not available to collect from any store nor for delivery. So it's gone. Never mind, a better and less pricey model is available direct from myvq.com, The Lark. Ok, add it to basket - "We will email you when it is next available"

Who else might sell these? John Lewis has them, so add to basket > email when next available.

John Lewis has (has?) a good range of DAB clock radios, including one for audiophools at a bit short of a Grand. Better still, they have their own brand including one that looks so like the Lark that I reckon they must both come from the same maker. Cheaper too, so let's add to basket > you guessed it

eBay doesn't have any VQ alarm models - but blow me, they have plenty of John Lewis models, so I immediately bought the Prelude bnib for 2/3 the price.

What does this all mean? I should think trade with China has a lot to do with it. I also suspect that the retailers are becoming tired of all the returns from the good folk who plug it in, turn it on, and nothing immediately happens, and they can't understand the 80-page instructions that have the usual helpful advice in 40 languages.
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 11:53 am   #37
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

I was looking for a digital radio alarm clock a few years ago & ended up buying a reconditioned stereo Alba DAB as most if not all DABs at least have an alarm function.

I now use a second hand VQ Hepburn II with a "yummy mummy" Emma Bridgewater designed cladding that was available for a song because of some slight cosmetic damage.
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 12:34 pm   #38
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

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I continue to be puzzled by the unavailability of DAB radios.
There still seems to be lots available on Amazon

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Old 2nd Oct 2020, 8:58 am   #39
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

Thanks to modern technology (Raspberry Pi/HiFiBerry DAC) connected to the Internet and a pantry device, my whole collection of vintage radios have gone from local receivers, into world-wide 'receivers'.

It's a marvellous way of discovering new artists, cultures and the like. Okay not 'world-wide' receivers in the true sense, but has given them another lease of life and enjoyment.

I do still listen to real broadcasts, but increasingly using the Pi when local conditions (noise) over-power the signal I'm trying to tune in.

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Old 2nd Oct 2020, 11:38 am   #40
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Default Re: Is Radio as we know it obsolescent?

The John Lewis Prelude duly arrived yesterday, BNIB unopened, and when powered up immediately did a scan and started playing something from a weak local experimental multiplex which didn't decode leading me to think it was duff, but once tuned to a National mpx everything was perfect, easy to use, and all the controls work fine. One pleased XYL but you do wonder why John Lewis withdrew them from sale...
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